Public Employee Press

Benefits extended to dead member’s family

Assistant Highway Repairer Nicky Antico went to work Sept. 22 a healthy young man, a proud husband and father, a wage earner for his family.

At 2 a.m. that night, a vehicle crashed through his worksite on Slosson Avenue in Staten Island and ended his life, his dreams, his paycheck and his medical benefits.

But the speeding SUV, which also injured two other Dept. of Transportation employees, Louis Ciccotto and Michael Moschella, didn’t end the commitment of his union brothers and sisters to Nicky’s family.

They observed silently Oct. 27 as the City Council passed legislation to ensure that Mr. Antico’s family — his widow, Anna, and daughter Arianna, 8 — will continue to receive city health insurance coverage.

City Council Member Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who chairs the Civil Service and Labor Committee, introduced the measure at the request of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Antico was a Local 983 member until DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall promoted him to the Highway Repairer title, which is represented by Local 376, effective Sept. 22.

“This legislation is very important to the family and the union,” said Local 376 President Gene De Martino. “It was the right thing to do.”

“The Council was able to accomplish this by amending the administrative code,” explained Local 376 Treasurer Thomas Kattou.

“It was wonderful that Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council recognized a civilian city worker this way,” said Local 983 President Mark Rosenthal. “It honors Nicky Antico’s memory by providing health benefits for his family,” he said.

Together with Supervisors Local 1157, Traffic Employees Local 1455 and the DC 37 Safety Dept., the two locals pressed Commissioner Weinshall for job safety improvements at an Oct. 6 meeting. “We need these because we want to live,” said Kattou.